Finding the Puck

Leadership Lessons from My Journey Through Blind Hockey

By: Craig Fitzpatrick

Narrated by: Regen Wilson

Ice hockey has long been considered one of the most dangerous sports. It's full-contact, played at high speeds on freshly sharpened blades while chasing a small puck. Despite the physical and visual demands, ice hockey is also the only professional sport to have a blind league.

Craig Fitzpatrick is nearly completely blind but has taught over 300 blind adults and children to play ice hockey at a competitive level. As a member of the US Blind Hockey team, he competed at the international level, studied the game under NHL trainers, and brought disability awareness to the forefront through his Try Blind Hockey program that partners with NHL teams.

Part inspirational memoir, part leadership parable, Finding the Puck traces Fitzpatrick's experience of losing his sight but finding himself once again after improbably lacing up his old skates. What follows is a journey of openness, humility, ambition, and advocacy that has served him on the ice as well as on the cutting-edge of the business world.

Listeners are invited for the first time into this community of blind hockey, where resilience, trust, risk-taking, and perseverance are put to the test every day in illuminating, transformative ways.

©2025 International Blind Ice Hockey Foundation (P)2025 International Blind Ice Hockey Foundation

Inspiring

A story of perseverance and courage. Craig’s journey exemplifies what it means to focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. The quintessential teammate, he lives his life in service of others.

What a story!

I heard the author on a podcast and his story inspired me to get the book. As a former hockey player, I am amazed how visually impaired people can play! The story in inspiring as well as entertaining.

Inspiring & motivational

Author’s words and reader’s voice are perfectly matched and an unbeatable combo making for a memorable experience overall. What a pair!

Grit, resilience, and finding purpose

Finding the Puck is a concise, honest, and deeply purposeful memoir about resilience, grit, and choosing to contribute, even when the odds are not in your favor.

Craig Fitzpatrick walks the reader through defining moments of his life, losing his father at a young age and helping raise his siblings, his time at the Air Force Academy and in the Air Force, the diagnosis of Stargardt’s disease, professional highs and lows, strained relationships, meaningful risks taken, and ultimately finding fulfillment through family, service, and building community. The chapter titles alone give a strong sense of the book’s values: resilience, toughness, trust, teaching, risk, perseverance, entrepreneurship, challenge, soul, and priorities.

A consistent thread throughout the book is work ethic. Craig repeatedly emphasizes being one of the hardest workers on every team he has been part of, using grit and preparation to make up for what he may have lacked in natural ability. That mindset shows up not just in athletics or career moments, but in everyday details, like deliberately learning and remembering people’s names or arriving early to get acclimated to the layout of places. What starts as a practical adaptation becomes a powerful reminder that effort, intention, and respect for others compound in meaningful ways.

One of the most compelling arcs is the growth of blind hockey. Craig takes the reader from ideation of starting a blind hockey team, to early mornings with small attendance, to navigating transportation challenges for visually impaired players, to building momentum, awareness, and community around a sport that is still largely unknown. The book makes it clear that real impact rarely happens quickly or conveniently. It happens because people show up consistently and do the unglamorous work.

At its core, this is a story about purpose and priorities. About knowing when to follow the rules and when to challenge them. About deep love and admiration for his wife Jenny and the grounding force of family. And about choosing contribution over comfort.

Knowledge of or love for hockey is not required to enjoy this book. It is a quick, focused read with short chapters and no fluff, making it easy to pick up and put down. I read the hardcover and also listened to the Audible version, which is well-narrated by one of Craig’s Air Force Academy classmates. The audiobook runs just over five hours (and even less if you listen at higher speed), making it an accessible listen.

All proceeds benefit expanding access to blind hockey globally, with the long-term goal of seeing blind hockey included in the Paralympics, potentially as early as 2034 in Salt Lake City. Supporting this book supports that mission.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in resilience, leadership, entrepreneurship, service, or living with intention.